A computer software engineer who strangled his wife to death lost his bid to
appeal his first-degree murder conviction. Yongsheng Liu was charged with the
first-degree murder of his wife, Fengzhi Huang, after her body was found in
their Kanata bedroom on Feb. 29, 2000 by their seven-year-old daughter. Liu was
found guilty Dec. 7, 2002.

Liu told the Ontario Court of Appeal that there was evidence that another
person could have committed the murder. However the three-judge panel disagreed.

"The medical evidence that the appellant argues exonerates him does not
bear the interpretation the appellant has placed on it," Justice Karen
Weiler wrote in the decision.

ONLY FAMILY AT HOME

The decision states that the evidence supports the conclusion that Huang was
killed sometime during the night of Feb. 28 or early morning of Feb. 29 when Liu
had an exclusive opportunity to commit the crime.

"During the night, the only occupants of the house were the deceased,
the appellant and their seven-year-old daughter," Weiler wrote.

Before going downstairs for breakfast, Liu and his daughter went in the
bedroom and the girl kissed her mom on the back of the neck.

"(The girl) testified that her mother did not move or say anything at
the time," Weiler wrote.

Also, police found no signs of forced entry and no one else had a key to the
house, Weiler wrote, adding there was also "powerful" circumstantial
evidence which incriminated Liu.